dress uniform
16
4.1
- noun
- /drɛs ˈjunɪfɔrm/
- Specialized
- As always, he wore his dress uniform, a gleaming scarlet jacket with a snow-white sash and his insignia of office.
- full dress uniform
- officer in dress uniform
- Navy dress uniform
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Watch on YouTubeOfficers distinguished between dress swords for use with their dress uniforms and service or undressed swords that they carried to war.
- Officers distinguished between dress swords for use with their dress uniforms and service or undressed swords that they carried to war.
- Swagger sticks were actually part of the British off duty dress uniform, although we're more likely to be seen with the higher British officers.
Examples
-
The other was a magnificent marine sergeant, six foot three or four, in full-dress uniform.
Fiction book (1995) -
Sergeant Troy pushes his way out of the door, immaculate in his red dress uniform.
Fiction book (1998) -
All right, so this actually, this is the dress uniform and it is very, very clean.
-
Man, you should have seen that boy in dress uniform.
Fiction book (1994) -
And you brought your dress uniform with you.
Fiction book (1992) -
An appearance in dress uniform for court today.
Fiction book (1992) -
The Marines stand at attention in their dress uniforms as General Newhouse addresses them.
Fiction book (1999) -
MPs escorted him back to our tent, where they waited for him to put on his dress uniform.
-
Bracey is in a U.S. Army dress uniform with one PFC stripe.
Fiction book (1998) -
The Marines stand at attention in their dress uniform as General Newhouse addresses them.
Synonyms
11
2.9
Clothes that soldiers and other people in the armed forces wear to show who they are and for official duties
6
6.1
A formal military uniform worn for ceremonies and official events
3
6.0
Formal white uniforms people in the military wear for ceremonies
1
6.0
A very formal uniform that military or navy officers wear at official ceremonies
How Formal
- Formal
1
6.0
- Specialized
16
4.1
11
2.9
15
1.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'dress' (clothing for a style or occasion) modifies 'uniform' (clothes worn by organization members) to indicate a formal or ceremonial type of uniform. This modifier+noun pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Dress uniform comes from the idea of 'dressing up' for a special event: dress means to wear smart clothes and uniform is the standard outfit for soldiers. So a dress uniform is the formal version of a soldier's clothes worn for ceremonies and official events.